From nothing, something.

One of my first great victories is in a way earlier entry when I made pierogies from scratch, which included the dough. Never before had I formed dough, so it was an exciting time.

I’m pretty used to it now, though I always use a hand mixer or food processor for the task. Recently, I found myself on the end of a dough recipe lacking one crucial piece: machinery.

My food processor was shot to hell, and out of nowhere, but I needed to make raviolis. (Maybe not need, want. I had a menu planned, ok?) So I googled how to do it by hand. Alas the dough making experience was a completely new one this time around. And it started as a thing of beauty.

That above is a pile of flour with a well in it, said well filled with eggs. When I first read that this was how to get things done, I was skeptical. There was no way I was turning this into dough. But….I did!

FROM SCRATCH RAVIOLI DOUGH

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Make a nice clean spot on your kitchen counter/table/cutting board/professional cooking area/what have you. Dump the flour on top and then pile it into a neat little mound. Create a well in the middle with high sides, using either a fork or your fingers.

Crack the eggs into the well (this is where the high sides come into play; you don’t want it leaking out). Add in the salt and oil. Beat the eggs in the well with a fork and slowly pull flour in from the sides of the hole. As you continue to pull more flour and mix, the dough will start coming together.

Now your hands should come into play, pulling the dough together even more. Eventually, you will ditch the fork, working the dough as it comes together. Add flour if it’s sticky, to not only the mound of dough but the surface you’re working on so that the dough doesn’t stick to it. If, however, you find it too dry, drip a little water on it.

Knead the dough until it’s smooth, devoid of lumps, and elastic. Once it reaches said consistency, wrap it in plastic wrap and set it aside for 20 minutes, or until you’re ready to use it.